It is common practice to protect documents and other items by encasing them in clear plastic coverings. Various products, generally known as protectors are available for this purpose. Another common way of protecting documents is to laminate them. Lamination involves sealing the document or item between oppositely applied transparent films.
Another operation which is commonly applied to documents and papers is that of adhesive transfer. Adhesive transfer is practiced when it is desired, for example, to make labels or stickers. One manner of producing such stickers and labels is to print the stickers or labels on blanks provided for this purpose. The blanks generally have an adhesive backing and are secured to a liner from which they are peeled at the time of use. This manner of making labels or stickers is expensive and further is limiting in that the printed :material must be adapted to the physical size or confines of a label or sticker which is generally small in size.
Based on the foregoing, there exists a need for a multi-purpose machine which can both serve to apply laminates to documents and papers and which will also serve the purpose of adhesive transfer to materials of various sizes. For example, the apparatus of the present invention can apply clear plastic laminates to master substrates of various sizes and similarly can transfer adhesive to master substrates of various sizes and not limited by length. The adhesive transfer can be applied to either surface of the master as desired.